The proposal to sell vandalised or incomplete Housing Development Corporation (HDC) homes “as is, where is” with no further expenditure of public money is a good one in principle, says Afra Raymond of Raymond & Pierre Limited, chartered valuation surveyors and property consultants.
Raymond said people would buy the homes because there was a strong demand for them in the areas they were constructed.
He was asked for a response to the Housing Ministry’s plans to sell vacant/vandalised HDC units to potential homeowners. Raymond said the plan closely resembles some of his earlier proposals.
“The strength of this approach is that it recognises sweat equity as a decisive part of how our people cater for themselves,” he added.
However, he asked: “The decisive element in that approach would be to whom would the HDC be selling those homes and on what terms, that is, how is the price to be set?”
Commenting on former housing minister Dr Roodal Moonilal charge that the plan could lead to corruption and massive State loss and, coming on the eve of the Local Government elections, was a naked political ploy, Raymond said: “The entire public housing programme exists in a cloud of little to no information, which of course facilitates corruption.
“The public housing programme is very political. I have called for a long time now for proper accounting, auditing, open data for our housing programme and publication of details of all recipients of public housing. Is Dr Moonilal now supporting that call?”
Moonilal said through the plan, houses which would be said to be vandalised could be sold to friends, family and party supporters at a lower value than the real market value.
“It does not seem to me that there is any firm proposal to sell these homes at lower prices than the completed ones,” Raymond said.
Concerning the determination of vandalism, he said: “Transparency is key to reducing the opportunity for corruption.”
He said it was difficult to give precise valuations in those types of situations, “so it would really be up to the HDC to have a rationale which takes proper account of the various situations.
“Of course, public suspicion is a constant consideration. Hence my comments about audits and open data as indispensable elements going forward.”
Raymond said it was likely the mortgage lenders would fund the purchases on a conditional basis, that is, if the outstanding works or repairs are completed.
He said it would be fair to HDC homeowners who acquired regular houses. “Yes, it is better to live in a development of completed, occupied homes than one in which there are vandalised, incomplete, unoccupied units,” he added.